Six people are killed in weekend traffic crashes

Monday, Nov. 10, 2003 | 9:35 a.m.

Six Southern Nevada residents were killed in vehicle crashes over the weekend, police said Sunday.

One accident in Henderson caused three of the deaths, police said.

The two-car collision about 1 a.m. Sunday left three people dead and another seriously injured, Officer Shane Lewis, a Henderson Police spokesman, said.

The deadly collision happened after an earlier minor accident involving a Pontiac Sunfire and Mitsubishi Galant, police said. The Mitsubishi fled the first accident and the Pontiac chased it, police said.

Moments later both vehicles turned onto Lake Mead Drive, where the Mitsubishi veered into the oncoming lane, striking a Toyota Corolla head-on.

The driver of the Mitsubishi, 27-year-old Fabian Cantu of Las Vegas, and the driver of the Toyota, 19-year-old Raylene Espino of Henderson, were killed instantly. Shizel Espino, 12, also of Henderson, who was a passenger in the Toyota, died on the way to University Medical Center.

Another male passenger in the Toyota remained in critical condition Sunday at UMC, Lewis said.

Metro Police said they are investigating the death of 22-year-old Antonio Roosevelt Taylor of Las Vegas, whose 2003 Mitsubishi Galant went out of control as he traveled west in the 9800 block of West Spring Mountain Road near Manor Oak Lane about 6 a.m. Sunday.

The Mitsubishi veered into the eastbound travel lane, struck a curb, drove onto the sidewalk, struck a block wall and then a street light pole before stopping.

The driver was airlifted to UMC, but died shortly after arrival, police said.

Alcohol, speed and failure to stay in a traffic lane appear to be factors in the collision, police said. No one else was with the driver.

About 1 a.m. Sunday on Cimarron Drive and Robindale Road, west of Rainbow Boulevard, a 20-year-old motorcycle driver attempted to brake for a stop sign, but the Suzuki GSXR 600 skidded, fell on its side and traveled more than 300 feet before stopping in the desert along the southern edge of Robindale, police said.

The driver was airlifted to UMC, but died shortly after arriving, police said.

The cause of the accident appears to be speeding, but Metro Police traffic officers are continuing their investigation.

Albert Kent Darrow, 82, of Las Vegas was killed Friday about 8:25 p.m. after driving into the path of a car at Centennial Centre Boulevard and Tropical Parkway, Metro Police said.

The man was turning left from a parking lot when he drove a 1999 Mercedes-Benz into the path of a 1995 Jeep Wrangler, police said. The Jeep broadsided the Mercedes.

Three passengers in the Mercedes were taken to UMC with a variety of injuries.

Rena Darrow, 82, of Las Vegas, and Megan Saxton, 22, of Eugene, Ore., were treated and released, a UMC spokeswoman said.

No condition was immediately available for the third passenger, Kent Schnepp of Eugene.

Kyle Blanchard, 19, of Las Vegas, the Jeep's driver, and his passenger, Michael Nuttall, 18, both of Las Vegas, were treated at the scene, officers said.

Police said the driver of the Mercedes appeared to be at fault, but they are continuing an investigation.